Page 45 of Crew

“We’re definitely overdue for some rest and relaxation, and I can’t think of anything better than a good old-fashioned cookout,” Zara said.

“Plus,” Nancy said, “it’ll give everyone something to do besides stare at fences and worry about security.”

Tris grinned. “I’ll get the ribs going. Mom, can you make your famous potato salad?”

“You bet,” Nancy said.

“I’ll make brownies,” Zara said. She smiled. “I’m excited already!”

“Dexter can grill,” Nancy said. “And the guys can set up the tables and we could get a firepit going.”

“I’ll text the group chat,” Zara said.

Cookout tonight, 6 pm. Ribs, potato salad, and brownies from the girls, and we need you guys to handle setting up the tables and a firepit if Dexter can man the grill. I’m making an alpha female rule for the night: no one worries about any herd but ours and we trust that the security system will alert us if anything is wrong. Be in the moment, people!

She watched her phone to see what the response would be, smiling when everyone had responded within minutes that they were excited for the cookout and promised to be in the moment and not worry about anything but having a good time.

Zara smiled as she put her phone away and grabbed the ingredients to make the brownies. Despite the crap that had been happening with the other herd, everyone was willing to come together for something so ordinary like a cookout and she found a lot of comfort in that.

* * *

As the smell of sizzling meat and sweet barbecue sauce wafted through the air as Dexter manned the grill, Zara set a platter of cut watermelon on one of the two picnic tables that were pushed together and looked for her sexy mate.

She saw him filling the firepit with wood while Khyle moved chairs around it. Avi had connected his phone to a Bluetooth speaker and music drifted over the yard while everyone milled around.

Nancy walked out of the house with her big bowl of potato salad and set it on the table. “It smells great and looks wonderful; I love the string lights.”

The guys had strung up lights around the backyard, and Zara knew when the sun set that the lights would make the yard look magical.

“I think so too,” she said.

As the last of the food came off the grill onto big trays, Dexter said, “I’m not saying this is the best cookout the herd’s ever had, but I’m pretty sure it’s damn close to the top.”

“I think you say that every time you cook outside,” Nancy said.

Dexter grinned and carried one of the trays to the table with Nancy getting the other one. Everyone gathered around the table and piled their plates high with food. Zara sat between Tris and Crew and couldn’t help but notice how everyone seemed so happy and relaxed.

“These ribs smell so good I might just cry, Dad,” Tris said to Dexter.

“You and me both,” Khyle said.

Nancy raised her glass of lemonade. “I know I’ve never given a toast before, but it seems like a good time to do one.”

Everyone lifted their glasses.

“To many more nights just like this.”

“Hear, hear,” Crew said, raising his own glass.

The others joined in, and for a moment, Zara felt like all the troubles they’d had were gone even if it was just for a little while, replaced with laughter, good food, and family. Because they might not all be related, but they were all family for sure.

* * *

With everything cleaned up and everyone heading to their respective beds, Zara and Crew lingered outside, seated next to each other in front of the firepit.

“Tonight was great,” she said, leaning on Crew’s shoulder.

“It was,” he said. “We needed it, all of us. Thanks for helping to put everything together.”

---